SP to vote for UPA govt in Lok Sabha on Nuke Deal

New Delhi, Jul 8 (UNI) The Samajwadi Party Parliamentary Board today passed a unanimous resolution to support the Congress-led UPA government and vote in its favour in Lok Sabha on the nuclear deal.

The SP took the decision immediately after the Left parties decided to withdraw their support to the 50-month-old UPA government on the much-hyped nuclear issue.

The Samajwadi Party Parliamentary Board's crucial meeting here this morning was attended by almost all the MPs except the five who had either been suspended or were not able to come due to personal reasons.

The meeting assumed significance in view of the reports that SP's arch rival BSP was making an attempt to win the MPs to its side to make them vote against the UPA government in case a no Confidence motion was brought in against it on the Indo-US nuclear deal.

Talking to reporters before the meeting, SP MP Salim Sherwani rubbished reports that some Muslim MPs were against the nuclear deal, saying that it was ridiculous to think that any pact, if it was for the good of the country, was against the community.

''At least I am not against the deal,'' he added.

The Samajwadi Party with 39 MPs will play crucial role in saving the Manmohan Singh-led government in Parliament after the left withdraw support.